Video: Evolving 3D Printing

3D printing is causing all types of hype in the science and engineering communities, and now artists are using the 3D printing craze to create new types of art.

Using 3D printing, artists are capable of replicating famous original pieces such as busts and sculptures. 3D printing is also capable of giving artists the option of putting their own twists and changes on ancient art works.

One of the most notable artists of today creating 3D printed art forms is Cosmo Wenman. Wenman travels to museums around the world and snaps hundreds of pictures of sculptures and busts. Using these pictures, along with an Autodesk program, Wenman is able to construct a 3D file that he can then send to his MakerBot 3D printer. The result is an exact replicate of the art work, on a much smaller scale. Furthermore, Wenman also plans on making all his files openly available on Makerbot's Thingverse.

Other than replicating old art forms, many people are also creating their own original work. One of the latest is the work of Benjamin Dillenburger and Michael Hansmeyer, called Digital Grotesque. Simply put, it involves printing an entire room out of sandstone. The room was inspired by the work of H.R. Giger, a Swiss artist who helped work on the effects in the movie Alien. Using some of the designs from his work, Dillenburger and Hansmeyer are using an algorithm that divides and repeats geometrical shapes. In turn, they have ended up with a design that is completely symmetrical and has the look of a temple from an alien world.

Other news that involves natural processes and 3D printing is the coming 4D printing. Inspired by molecular self-assembly, it is a process that is very common in biological structures. The 3D-printed materials are made to change shape and self-assemble, much like molecules do in biology. In fact, researchers at MIT have been working on programmable materials. The idea is to be able to print a material and over time the material will change its structure into some meaningful shape. The change can take place due to a movement or something such as an environmental factor. In theory, the application can have a big impact on construction or design. For example, astronauts would be able to easily assemble needed structures. In areas like the ocean or the top of a skyscraper, materials could be simply created. Previously, this may have been difficult or dangerous.

Embedding a "program" into a material does not involve writing software at all. Rather, the work at MIT is being done by creating materials that react to outside stimuli. Using this technique, materials can be printed, which, given the right circumstances, will change shape into anything they wish. Although the work is still in its infancy, it shows us how rapidly 3D printing is evolving. In addition, it should not come as a surprise that these latest developments have been inspired by natural processes. I believe we still have much to learn from the world around us.

I have been running a modified Reprap Mendel for about two years and am currently looking into the use of metal casting as a way to extend its capabilities into producing stronger parts out of scrap metal until technologies such as those mentioned above improve their efficiency and the metallurgical properties of their output. In a way this is turning that older use of CNC machines, of cutting out aluminium moulds to form plastic parts in, on its head, as with the PLA used to print moulds being completely renewable, and nearly all of the stray aluminium in mould sprues being re-meltable, this process is far less wasteful and produces a far more resilient end product, while requiring bare minimum skill or investment.

Cabe, I really enjoy your posts on the use of 3D printing in art. And thanks for the update on so-called 4D printing, which I covered earlier from a materials perspective: http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1392&doc_id=260118 At that time, the TED Talk wasn't yet available; glad it now is.

"The more freedom you get the more dangerous thoughts do come into your mind. That is the part which should be controlled."

It's funny how different people see things... differently.

I would say... 'The less freedom you HAVE the more your thoughts are considered dangerous.'

And I'm going to assume that by 'should be controlled' you meant that actions that are truly dangerous should be controlled, not the thoughts. Otherwise... just wow.

To be more on topic...

"Other news that involves natural processes and 3D printing is the coming 4D printing. Inspired by molecular self-assembly, it is a process that is very common in biological structures."

This 4D (or 5D...) printing is likely how AI will independently mass produce its spawn, at least at first. Way easier than the machine shop-auto assembly line like vision in most sci-fi.

The timelines for self-aware AI and really sweet 4D printing could lead to an intersection that changes everything.

And to really make it interesting, the ground work is already laid for bio/mechanical integration and bonding. Just print the parts that will become the final critter... and let them react to the surrounding environment and other outside stimuli.

But as long as creativity is there, I think that 3d printing can be a basis of next generation art, which can start a whole new level of 3d art in the artist world. Like the video of 3d desin grotesque was simply splendid.

@debra, I agree with you, As long as the artists is like a scientist. An artist is called an artist because of his/her inovation and creativity, when the start replicating structures and making them a basis of thier business than they are no longer artists, they might be clever business man.

@Debera Howard: The art and antiquities market is flooded today with clever fakes which would put a 3D model to shame. I wouldn't be concerned that 3D priniting represents a quantum leap for art forgery.

Saji, I totally agree with you its really great that artists are using 3D technology in their art and copying and addition of new thoughts are being done in the sculptures and antiques but yes too some extend it is acceptable but artists should not be given too much freedome because copying actual sculpture they can sell them by calling antique .I really like the idea of 4D printing no one has thought that an object created by 3D printing changes its shape as per required along the period of time .

@Charles: Yes indeed but the issue is that as long as they use it wisely it is fine. The more freedom you get the more dangerous thoughts do come into your mind. That is the part which should be controlled.

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